Pneumatic fruit decelerator apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A decelerator apparatus for mounting at the end of a pneumatic fruit harvesting or delivery tube. The decelerator comprises a housing with a moving decelerator body aligned with a fruit-receiving inlet connected to the pneumatic delivery tube. The decelerator body, for example a padded rotating wheel, moves at a speed slower than the speed at which the fruit is pneumatically delivered into the housing, and further defines a compressive deceleration path that moves the fruit in a compressive but protective fit toward a housing exit, releasing the fruit after the fruit has been decelerated to the speed of the moving body.

RELATED APPLICATIONS/PRIORITY BENEFIT CLAIM

This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/552,142 filed Sep. 1, 2009 and of U.S. provisional patent applicationNo. 61/192,123 filed Sep. 16, 2008 by the same inventors, the entiretyof which applications are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The subject matter of the present application is in the field of fruitand vegetable harvesting apparatus, in particular devices for harvestingfruit from trees with suction.

BACKGROUND

Tube devices for delivering fruit picked from trees to a remotecollection point using suction (“pneumatic” or “vacuum” or “suction”tubes) are known. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,561 toMendenhall. A vacuum-operated picking tube is mounted to a tractor topick and deliver fruit to a trailer pulled behind the tractor.

Mendenhall discloses foam rubber paddles provided in the tube to slowthe movement of fruit in the tube and thus prevent bruising of the fruitwhen it falls out of the tube into the fruit storage trailer. Thetrailer must be lined with foam rubber to further lessen the likelihoodof the fruit being damaged during the picking operation.

BRIEF SUMMARY

We have invented a fruit decelerator for use with pneumatic or “vacuum”type fruit-delivery tubes. The decelerator comprises a housing adaptedto be connected to a pneumatic fruit-delivery tube to receive fruit fromthe tube; a padded moving decelerator body in the housing, thedecelerator body aligned with and moving in endless fashion in thedirection of fruit delivery into the housing, the decelerator bodymoving at a second speed slower than the speed at which the fruit ispneumatically delivered from the tube; and a padded fruit decelerationpath defined in part by the moving decelerator body, at least a portionof the deceleration path comprising a compressive path sized to receivethe fruit delivered by the tube in a compressive frictional fit that ismaintained until the fruit has been slowed to the speed of thedecelerator body. The padded fruit deceleration path communicates withan exit from the housing, and the decelerated fruit can be deliveredfrom the housing at the second slower speed to a receiving location forfurther processing. In one form the fruit deceleration path is definedbetween the decelerator body and a padded portion of the housinginterior.

In one form the decelerator housing defines a vacuum chamber, supplyingpneumatic delivery force to the fruit delivery tube. The delivery tubemay also have its own supply of pneumatic delivery force, including butnot limited to supplying the fruit to the decelerator housing underpressure.

The deceleration path may deliver the decelerated fruit directly to ahousing exit, or to a secondary device in the housing that receives thefruit from the deceleration path and delivers the decelerated fruit toan exit. The deceleration path or the secondary device may include apneumatic seal between the exit and the deceleration path to maintainpneumatic supply pressure in the delivery tube connected to the housing.

Where the compressive deceleration path includes a pneumatic seal, thepneumatic seal may be fixed to the housing in sliding or wiping contactwith the moving decelerator body.

In one form the decelerator body comprises a rotating padded wheel. Inembodiments with a secondary device, the secondary device may comprise arotating, padded, compartmentalized or paddle-type wheel. In a furtherform, the secondary paddle wheel is padded with a pneumatically-sealingmaterial such as closed cell foam and defines a dynamic series ofpneumatically-sealed chambers for receiving the fruit from thedecelerator body. The secondary device may alternately comprise a drapeof conforming material adjacent the decelerator body's surface thatseals around a piece of decelerated fruit as the fruit is conveyed to anexit.

In another embodiment, the decelerator body comprises two moving bodiesmoving in complementary directions. In one form the two moving bodiescomprise two adjacent rotating padded wheels moving in oppositedirections to define a portion of the compressive deceleration pathbetween them.

The decelerator body may be fully contained in the decelerator housing,or may be partially contained in the decelerator housing (includinghaving only its moving padded surface in communication with the interiorof the housing). The housing and the decelerator body define adecelerator path for the fruit received from the tube, sealed tomaintain pneumatic supply pressure in the delivery tube and/or in someor all of the deceleration path.

“Pneumatic” is primarily used herein to mean a vacuum or suctiondelivery force, drawing the fruit into the decelerator housing bycreating a lower or vacuum pressure in the decelerator, but may alsoinclude a positive pressure created in the delivery tube. The way inwhich the pneumatic force may be perceived as negative (“vacuum” or“suction”) or positive may vary depending on whether the portion of thesystem being discussed is upstream or downstream of the source ofpneumatic delivery force, or upstream or downstream of the fruit in thetube.

“Fruit” will be used herein to mean any fruit or vegetable or other fooditem round and regular and firm enough to be capable of being pickedand/or delivered by a pneumatic tube, wherein it is desired to minimizedamage to the item. “Harvest” and “pick” and similar terms used todescribe the typical scenario in which the fruit is fed into the tubefor delivery to the decelerator are considered to includenon-traditional pneumatic tube-delivery of fruit, including for exampletransfers of fruit by pneumatic tube in warehouses or processing plants.

The padded moving decelerator body is described as “endless”, meaningpresenting a continuously moving surface to fruit entering thedecelerator housing. The decelerator body may comprise a wheel (as shownin the illustrated examples) or a non-circular moving body such as anoval caterpillar-type track or tread, or an endless conveyor, withoutlimitation. “Padded” includes cushion-supplemented surfaces, softyielding surfaces, and any other surface soft and yielding enough toreceive the fruit without damaging or bruising the fruit and capable ofmoving the fruit along the deceleration path in a compressive frictionfit in which the surface is compressed by the fruit as the fruit movesalong the path.

A method is also disclosed where a fruit decelerator housing is providedat an end of a pneumatic fruit delivery tube; the decelerator housing ispneumatically connected to the pneumatic fruit-delivery tube; a paddedmoving decelerator body is moved in the housing in endless fashion inthe direction of fruit delivery into the housing, at a second speedslower than a first speed of pneumatic fruit delivery from the tube; andfruit is delivered from the tube into the housing at a first speed andmoved and decelerated by the decelerator body to the second slower speedthrough a padded fruit deceleration path in the housing in a compressivefit maintained at least until the fruit has been slowed to the secondslower speed of the decelerator body. The decelerated fruit is deliveredat the second slower speed to a receiving location for furtherprocessing.

These and other features and advantages of the invention as defined inthe claimed subject matter will become apparent from the detaileddescription below, in light of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a fruit-picking pneumatic tube,complemented with a decelerator according to the claimed subject matter,the decelerator connected at a fruit-delivering end of the tube, thedecelerator located in a fruit-collecting container.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a first example of a fruitdecelerator according to the claimed subject matter, with a movingdecelerator body enclosed in a pneumatically sealed housing.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the decelerator of FIG. 2, with optionalmultiple decelerators shown in a parallel, commonly-driven assembly inphantom lines.

FIG. 4 is an alternate example of a fruit decelerator housing accordingto the claimed subject matter, in which the decelerator comprises twomoving decelerator bodies.

FIG. 5 is another alternate example of a fruit decelerator according tothe claimed subject matter, with a decelerator body partially enclosedby a housing.

FIG. 6 is a perspective cutaway view of an upper portion of thedecelerator of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a method according to the claimedsubject matter.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another alternate example of a fruitdecelerator according to the claimed subject matter, with a deceleratorbody having only its endless moving surface in the housing, and asidewall of the housing partially cutaway to show the interior.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the fruit decelerator of FIG. 8,showing a piece of fruit entering the fruit deceleration path.

FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 9, showing the fruit leaving a first portionof the deceleration path and engaging a second device for sealing thedeceleration path relative to an exit.

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 10, showing the fruit fully engaged by thesecond device in the second part of the deceleration path.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the housing and deceleratorbody of FIGS. 8 through 11, with a sidewall of the housing.

FIG. 12A is similar to FIG. 12, but shows a housing with a modifiedlower edge for supporting a seal member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 schematically shows an apple picker P who is picking apples Afrom a tree F, and depositing the apples in a first end 35 a of apneumatic tube 35 leading to a bin 140 or a water bath or some otherfruit collection device or container. The construction of pneumatic tube35 of FIG. 1 may vary, and may be of a construction generally known inthe prior art or of some newer construction, but generally represents apneumatic delivery tube that delivers apples A from a second end 35 b ata speed which can cause bruising or damage to the fruit. Tube 35 isaccordingly complemented by a decelerator 100 according to the presentinvention, as defined by the claimed subject matter.

It will be understood that although the illustrated example in FIG. 1shows a single picker P working on the ground with a single tube 35, thenumber of pickers and tubes and the manner in which they are positionedand/or moved relative to the fruit being picked may vary. For example,the pickers may be positioned and/or moved using motorized platforms,lift platforms or ladders, and the decelerator 100 may be supplied withfruit by multiple tubes 35 handled by one or more pickers.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show cutaway views of a first example of decelerator 100according to the claimed subject matter. Decelerator 100 has a housing102 adapted to be connected to a pneumatic delivery tube such as 35.“Housing” is intended to include any chamber or path with sufficientstructure and sealing to receive the fruit from the pneumatic tube andto maintain pneumatic supply pressure in the delivery tube whiledefining a decelerator path in combination with a moving deceleratorbody. Decelerator housing 102 may be provided with a collar or othersuitably shaped inlet 104 to be mated with tube 35, with a more or lesspneumatically sealed connection. The details of the connection betweentube 35 and housing 102 may vary, provided the fruit is deliveredpneumatically into the housing. While the section of tube 35 connectedto the housing 102 to deliver fruit to the decelerator may be referredto as an “end” of the tube, it should be understood that the decelerator100 could be mounted in an intermediate location in a tube delivery pathand is not limited to being connected to a terminal end of single tube.

While the details of pneumatic delivery tube 35 may vary, in theillustrated example the tube 35 is an open-passage, internally-paddedtube which we have invented, with a relatively smooth layer of foam orsimilar padding 35 f lining the interior surface. Foam lining 35 f isillustrated as closed-cell foam that is generally smooth and impermeableto air, or lining 35 f may be an open-cell foam with an air-impermeablesurface seal. Alternately, tube 35 may be another type of pneumaticdelivery tube, whether of a prior known type or some other type, with adiameter sized to receive and conduct firm, relatively round fruit suchas apples A from the picking or harvesting end 35 a to the interior ofhousing 102.

Inlet 104, or alternately tube 35, is located (or extends to a location,as shown at extension 104 d for example) adjacent a moving deceleratorbody 106 with at least an endless moving surface in communication withthe interior of the housing, for example a rotating padded wheel asshown in FIG. 2. It will be understood that while a circular wheelrotating on a hub/shaft is illustrated in this example as thedecelerator body 106, other types of moving decelerator body may beused, for example caterpillar- or conveyor-type endless belts or tracksrotating in the housing on one or more shafts or rollers. Decelerator106 has a padded surface 106 a, in the illustrated example of FIG. 2formed by one or more layers of foam padding 106 b mounted in aseveral-inch thickness around the hub 106 c of the wheel. The surface ofdecelerator body 106 is designed to frictionally impart thedecelerator's motion to incoming fruit A while also compressing oryielding under pressure from the fruit without damaging or bruising thefruit.

Decelerator body 106 moves the fruit A along a decelerator path 108defined between the decelerator wheel 106 and another padded surfacesuch as a similarly compressible layer of foam 109 mounted to aninterior surface of housing 102 adjacent the decelerator 106. Foam 106 band 109 may be open-cell foam as illustrated, or combinations of open-and closed-cell foam, although other materials and methods for paddingthe wheel's surface and the opposing surface 109 of the decelerator path108 are possible.

Decelerator path 108 is sized to receive fruit A in a compressivefrictional fit, such that the fruit compresses the path and is forcedthrough the path by the movement of decelerator 106 without deforming ordamaging or bruising the fruit. In the illustrated example of FIG. 2,the height or diameter (depending on its shape) of path 108 is less thanthe diameter of the smallest size fruit A expected to be delivered fromtube 35, so that the yielding surfaces defined by the foam 109 on thehousing and the foam 106 b on the decelerator body are compressed as thefruit is frictionally decelerated along path 108. The degree ofcushioning or yielding or padding provided by wheel surface 106 andcomplementary decelerator path surface 109 may be different, such thatone surface is more yielding or cushioning and one less yielding orcushioning, for example by choosing foams of different density. Thedegree of cushioning or compression of the path by the fruit may alsovary along the length of the deceleration path 108 for various purposesand advantages; for example we have found that a void 109 d in the foam109 helps cushion the fruit at the end of the deceleration path 108where the foam is shaped to deliver the fruit to secondary device 110.

The speed of decelerator 106 is slower than the speed at which fruit isexpected to be delivered from tube 35, and the direction of motion ofdecelerator 106 is in the direction of fruit delivery into the housing.In the illustrated example of FIG. 2, for example, fruit is deliveredinto the housing from left to right, in the direction of the arrowthrough inlet 104, and wheel 106 is rotating in a clockwise direction,so that at the tangential point or location 108 a at which fruit Aengages path 108 (which is partly defined by the wheel 106), wheel 106is already moving in the same direction as fruit A at first contact.Decelerator 106 then proceeds to decelerate and continue moving fruit Aalong path 108 in a compressive but non-damaging fit as shownschematically at 109 f, until fruit A has been decelerated to at leastthe speed of wheel 106. Once fruit A has been decelerated, it can exitor be released from the path 108 at end 108 b for further processing inthe housing, or to leave the housing. The fruit may actually bedecelerated in many or most or even all instances to a speed slower thanthe rotational surface speed or RPM (rotations per minute) of wheel 106,to the extent that the fruit A is itself rolling as it progressesthrough the deceleration path 108; however, for ease of reference, thespeed of the fruit will be referred to as being decelerated to the speedof the wheel or to at least the speed of the wheel.

The speed of decelerator 106 is chosen to be slower than the speed atwhich fruit is pneumatically delivered to housing 102, and also chosento minimize or eliminate damage or bruising to fruit A when it isreleased from path 108 and exits the housing. This decelerator speed mayaccordingly vary depending on the pneumatic tubing used and/or pneumaticdelivery force with which fruit A is delivered to the decelerator and/orthe nature of the fruit being moved through the decelerator.

It will be understood that although a single decelerator body 106 isillustrated for reducing the delivery speed of fruit A to a desiredslower speed in a single stage, multiple decelerator bodies 106 may beused to successively decelerate fruit A in multiple stages until adesired release or exit speed is achieved at the last decelerator body106 in the series. And while a single decelerator 100 is illustrated,multiple decelerators 100 may be serially arranged to stepwisedecelerate fruit through multiple decelerator housings.

Decelerator path 108 ends at a location communicating with an exit fromthe housing, for example an exit opening 120 located so that fruit Aexits the housing by gravity. While fruit A may exit the housing 102directly after leaving the deceleration path 108 provided by deceleratorbody 106, fruit A may also be handled by a secondary device 110 beforeexiting the housing. Decelerator path 108 may run the full length of thesealed housing to the exit, or terminate prior to the exit provided theremainder of the fruit's path of travel through the housing to the exitdoes not damage the fruit.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 2, secondary device 110 is apaddle-type wheel with a plurality of radial paddles 110 a projectingfrom a hub or shaft 110 d, the paddles 110 a padded with closed-cellfoam 110 b. As the paddles rotate (in the example, clockwise likedecelerator wheel 106), they dynamically define one or morepneumatically sealed fruit-transporting compartments 110 c upstream fromexit 120 that are able to carry an item of fruit A with the pneumaticseal of the housing substantially intact until the fruit reaches exit120. When fruit A reaches exit 120, the compartment assumes the exitpressure (e.g., ambient or atmosphere pressure). Upon passing the exit120, the compartment defined between two adjacent paddles may return toa sealed condition and thus the internal pressure of the housing 102.The seal between housing 102 and exit 120 may be maintained, as shown inthe illustrated example, by a wiping contact between the ends of paddles110 a and a portion of the housing interior such as foam lining 209adjacent secondary wheel 110 and between deceleration path 108 and exit120. Closed-cell foam or some other relatively air-impermeablecushioning material may be used for the covering 110 b on paddles 110 aand for the lining 209 in order to maintain the internal pressure ofhousing 102 relative to the pressure of exit 120.

While the pneumatic force that delivers fruit A into housing 102 may becreated outside the housing 102, for example somewhere in tube 40upstream of the decelerator 100, or downstream of (and connected to)exit 120, in the illustrated example the housing itself provides thepneumatic delivery force by generating a low or vacuum pressure in thehousing relative to tube 40, for example by connecting a vacuum sourceillustrated schematically as vacuum pump V and vacuum supply tube 112 tothe housing at a vacuum inlet 114 separate from fruit inlet 104. Thevacuum pump or other vacuum or suction-generating device schematicallyillustrated at V may be attached to tube 112 at a convenient location,or may be incorporated onto or into the housing 102.

FIG. 3 illustrates a decelerator 100 from an inlet end view, and theoption of “stacking” multiple decelerators 100, 100′, etc. in parallelfashion to be driven by common motor and/or vacuum device. For example,a single motor M1 could drive a single shaft 106 d to rotate two or moredecelerator wheels 106 in adjacent decelerators. A single motor M2 couldbe connected through a single shaft 110 d to drive two or more secondarywheels 110 in adjacent decelerators. A single source of vacuum V couldbe connected via one or more inlets 114 to pneumatically drive adjacentdecelerators, whose housings 102 may or may not be sealed relative toone another.

While multiple decelerators 100 with their own housings are shown inparallel arrangement in FIG. 3, it would also be possible to provide asingle decelerator housing 102 with multiple decelerator bodies 106aligned with multiple fruit-delivering inlets 104.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate example of a decelerator at 200, with ahousing 202, a pneumatic fruit delivery inlet 204, and opposingdecelerator bodies or wheels 206 defining a deceleration path 208defined between the wheel 206 closest to inlet 204 to a point of more orless pneumatically sealed contact 230 between the two wheels, leading toa single exit 220 below the junction of the two wheels. A single sourceof pneumatic delivery force is supplied at vacuum inlet 214. Deceleratorwheels 206 have substantially the same construction and operation aswheel 106 in FIG. 2, except that they are cushioned (or at leastsurfaced) with a seal-maintaining material such as closed cell foam 206b, and they work in tandem. At least one wheel is powered by a motormeans through its hub/shaft 206 c, 206 d, and the other wheel may bepassively rotated by the powered wheel due to frictional,pneumatic-sealing contact between them at 230. Optionally both wheels206 may be powered to rotate. Deceleration path 208 provides acompressive moving fit for fruit delivered from inlet 204 to theadjacent wheel 206, and is maintained at pneumatic delivery pressure orvacuum by the seal between the surfaced wheels at 230 and by additionalseals, for example wiping seals between the surface of wheel 206 and thehousing 202 at points 240, 250, and 260, isolating exit 220 from thevacuum source.

FIG. 5 illustrates a third example of decelerator at 300, with a singledecelerator body in the form of a wheel 306 substantially the same as orsimilar to wheel 106 in FIGS. 2 and 3, but with the decelerator wheelonly partially contained in a housing 302, with the decelerator wheel'smoving decelerator surface 306 a sealed from the exterior to define asealed deceleration path 308. Fruit is delivered from tube 335 in thedirection of the arrow through inlet 304, into contact with the paddedsurface of wheel 306 rotating clockwise at the deceleration speed, andthus into a deceleration path 308 in which the fruit has a compressivefrictional fit between the wheel 306 and padding 309 on the interior ofthe housing. Pneumatic delivery force is generated by a vacuum source orpump V communicated to the housing 302 through an inlet 312. Inlet 312in turn communicates with a chamber or plenum 311 in the housing abovedeceleration path 308 and fruit inlet 304, through one or more openings313 formed in the padding 309 above the wheel. Opening(s) 313 aresmaller than the size of the smallest expected fruit A, so that thefruit is not drawn up to vacuum inlet 312 when it enters the housing.

The compressive fit of fruit A with deceleration path 308 has enoughfriction that the moving wheel 306 moves incoming fruit 306 away fromvacuum ports 313 located above the upstream portion 308 a of thedeceleration path 308. The vacuum or pneumatic delivery force may bemaintained at the inlet 304 in different ways, and in the illustratedexample is maintained with a plurality of axial drag seals 302 d locatedin the housing 302 to wipingly engage the faces 306 f of wheel 306 asthe wheel rotates, and with a circumferential drag seal 309 d separatingthe upstream and downstream portions 308 a and 308 b of the decelerationpath 308. The drag seals may be flaps or drapes of closed-cell foam orrubber-like material, or a layer of closed-cell foam or otherimpermeable material on the surface of an open-cell foam, withoutlimitation. Drag seal or drape 309 d in the deceleration path 308 isbiased into a wiping contact with wheel 306, for example by its moldedshape or by its weight and natural drape or by a weighting material orforce such as a progressively thicker layer of foam 309 b downstream ofseal 309 d that narrows path 308 significantly over its downstreamportion 308 b, and that provides a sponge or spring force to the back ofthe seal to hold the seal down against the wheel except when fruit isbeing forced past the seal.

Deceleration path 308 may alternately be pneumatically sealed relativeto exit 320 by a series of two or more seal drapes 309 d spaced seriallyalong path 308. Another path-sealing option is to lengthenpneumatically-sealed drape member 309 d so that it lies substantiallyagainst the surface of wheel 306 as shown in phantom in FIG. 5, underits own weight or assisted by other weighting material or force such asfoam layer 309 b or a spring member, over a substantial or the entirelength of the deceleration path 308 b. In this latter case, multiplepieces of fruit A might be moving in spaced fashion through upstreamand/or downstream portions 308 a and 308 b of path 308 at the same time,all the pieces of fruit moving through the path pneumatically sealedrelative to one another and to the outlet 320 by the conforming fit ofthe lengthened drape member 309 d around them.

In the partial-housing example of FIGS. 5 and 6, fruit A exits thedecelerator 300 directly at outlet 320, which coincides with the end ofhousing 302 and with the end of deceleration path 308. It should beunderstood that although the entirety of path 308 is referred to as thedeceleration path, actual deceleration of fruit A to the speed of thedecelerator 306 may occur over an upstream portion of the path, forexample in region 308 a, while the remainder of the path such as 308 bprimarily provides a seal to help maintain the pneumatic delivery forceof the delivery tube.

FIG. 7 schematically represents, in flowchart form, a method fordecelerating fruit received from a pneumatic delivery tube as describedand/or readily understood from the foregoing examples of FIGS. 1 through6. In step 1, a decelerator is provided at or connected to an end of apneumatic fruit delivery tube. In step 2 an endless padded deceleratorbody is moved in the decelerator at a slower speed than the speed atwhich the fruit is expected to be delivered. At step 3 the fruit ispneumatically delivered from the tube to the decelerator body at thefaster speed. At step 4 the fruit is decelerated by the moving body fromthe faster speed to at least the slower speed along a path with acompressive fit.

FIGS. 8 through 12 illustrate another alternate form of deceleratoraccording to the claimed subject matter, in which only the movingsurface of the decelerator body is in communication with the interior ofthe housing. Decelerator 400 has a housing 402 similar to that in FIGS.5 and 6, with a fruit delivery inlet 404 for connection to a pneumaticdelivery tube 435, and a vacuum inlet 412. The lower surface of housing402 includes a frame 418 defining an opening 420 sized and shaped toadmit a portion of the face 406 a of decelerator wheel 406 intocommunication with the interior of the housing, in sufficiently sealingfashion to help maintain the pneumatic fruit delivery force. Becausewheel 406 is moving, its fit with opening 420 may be a wiping frictionalfit with the face and/or side surfaces of the wheel.

Fruit is delivered from tube 435 (shown in FIGS. 10-12) through inlet404, into contact with the padded surface 406 a of wheel 406 rotatingclockwise at the deceleration speed, and thus into a deceleration path408 in which the fruit has a compressive frictional fit between thewheel 406 and complementary padding 409 on the interior of the housing.Pneumatic delivery force is generated by a vacuum source or pump Vcommunicated to the housing 402 through inlet 412. Inlet 412 in turncommunicates with a chamber or plenum 411 in the housing abovedeceleration path 408 and fruit inlet 404, through one or more openings413 formed in the padding 409 (and in an optional reinforcing dividerwall 410) above the wheel 406. Opening(s) 413 are smaller than the sizeof the smallest expected fruit A, so that the fruit is not drawn up tovacuum inlet 412 when it enters the housing.

Referring to FIG. 9, as fruit A enters the initial or primary portion408 a of deceleration path 408, decelerator 400 functions to deceleratethe fruit with a compressive fit in the same manner as in previouslydescribed examples in FIGS. 1-6.

Referring to FIGS. 10 through 12, a sealing drape 416 of material thatconforms itself to and around fruit A is used in the second part 408 bof the decelerator path 408 to either further decelerate fruit A, ifneeded, and to maintain a sufficient seal around the fruit as itproceeds through and exits the decelerator to help maintain thepneumatic delivery force that delivers the fruit into the housing fromtube 435. Drape 416 is secured around its edges to inside walls of thehousing 402, or to an optional vertical interior partition 414 asillustrated. Partition 414 has an opening 414 a in alignment with thefruit deceleration path 408 a to permit fruit A to pass through intoportion 408 b after coming into contact with, and deformingly passingunderneath, a central unsecured portion of drape 416 that overlies theopening and is in alignment with the deceleration path. Drape 416extends down to the face 406 a of wheel 406, and as illustratedpreferably continues along a circumferential portion of wheel 406coextensive with portion 408 b of the deceleration path, its edges heldagainst the sides or preferably against the face of the wheel bysecuring the drape's edges to the lower edges 403 a of the housingsidewalls 403, for example with adhesive or mechanical fasteners. In thealternate embodiment of FIG. 12A, the lower edges 418, 418 a of thehousing sidewalls are extended in width or are provided with flangesthat curve around the face or sides of the wheel in contact with thewheel or closely adjacent thereto to provide a mounting surface for theedges of drape 416 and further to protect the edges of the drape fromwear due to friction with the decelerator wheel. The housing sidewalllower edges 403 (or flange-like extensions or shelves 418 a) terminatewithout any rigid cross-member or cross-connection to define an opening419 in the end of the deceleration path near the housing exit. Thedownstream end 416 b of drape 416 is unsecured at opening 419,permitting fruit A to exit the end of the drape. Opening 419 may helpdefine the exit 424 from housing 402, where the fruit A is delivered atits decelerated state to a storage or further processing location.

It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments arerepresentative of presently preferred examples of how to make and usethe claimed invention as defined by the claimed subject matter, but areintended to be explanatory rather than limiting of the scope of theinvention as defined by the claims. Reasonable variations andmodifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing writtenspecification and drawings are possible without departing from the scopeof the invention as defined by the claimed subject matter. It shouldfurther be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used inthe written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting termas to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or the scope of any suchinvention, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widelyused to describe new and useful improvements in technology. The scope ofthe invention is accordingly defined by the following claims.

1. A fruit decelerator apparatus for use with a pneumatic fruit-deliverytube, comprising: a housing comprising a padded fruit deceleration path,a pneumatic delivery tube inlet adapted to be connected to and receivefruit from an end of a pneumatic fruit-delivery tube, and a fruit exit,the inlet defining a direction of fruit delivery into the housing; arotatably-driven decelerator body associated with the housing andcomprising a padded surface at least a portion of which is incommunication with an interior of the housing, the padded surfacecomprising at least a portion of the deceleration path, at least aninitial contact portion of the padded surface positioned insubstantially tangential alignment with the fruit delivery tube inlet atan initial fruit contact portion of the deceleration path adjacent theinlet to receive fruit entering the deceleration path from the pneumaticdelivery tube inlet, the padded endless surface movable relative to thehousing in endless rotating fashion in the direction of fruit delivery,the decelerator body having a rotational fruit-decelerating speed whenrotatably driven relative to the housing comprising a speed slower thanan expected pneumatically-delivered speed of fruit entering thedeceleration path from the delivery tube inlet; and, at least a portionof the deceleration path comprising a compressive path defined betweenthe housing and the padded endless surface of the decelerator body inthe housing, the compressive path sized to receive fruit of an expectedsmallest size from the pneumatic delivery tube inlet and to carry suchreceived fruit in a compressive moving fit, the compressive pathextending through at least a portion of the housing between the inletand the exit; and, a pneumatic fruit-conveying seal located in thehousing between the fruit inlet and the fruit exit.
 2. The deceleratorapparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pneumatic vacuum sourceassociated with the housing and capable of communicating a vacuumpressure to the delivery tube inlet through the housing.
 3. (canceled)4. (canceled)
 5. The decelerator apparatus of claim 1, wherein thepneumatic fruit-conveying seal comprises a drape of material associatedwith the padded surface of the decelerator body.
 6. The deceleratorapparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rotatably-driven secondarydevice in the housing between the deceleration path and the exit toreceive the fruit from the deceleration path and to deliver thedecelerated fruit to the exit.
 7. The decelerator apparatus of claim 6,wherein the secondary device includes a pneumatic seal between the exitand the deceleration path to maintain pneumatic delivery force in thedeceleration path and/or in the delivery tube.
 8. The deceleratorapparatus of claim 7, wherein the pneumatic seal of the secondary deviceis fixed to the housing in wiping contact with the decelerator body. 9.The decelerator apparatus of claim 1, wherein the decelerator bodycomprises a rotatably-driven padded wheel.
 10. The decelerator apparatusof claim 1, further comprising a rotatably-driven secondary device andan exit, the secondary device in communication with the decelerationpath to receive the fruit from the deceleration path and deliver thedecelerated fruit to the exit.
 11. The decelerator apparatus of claim10, wherein the secondary device comprises a rotatably-driven series offruit-handling compartments.
 12. The decelerator apparatus of claim 11,wherein the fruit-handling compartments comprise a pneumatically-sealingmaterial in at least temporary wiping contact with a portion of thehousing to define a dynamic series of pneumatically-sealed compartmentsfor receiving fruit from the decelerator body.
 13. The deceleratorapparatus of claim 1, wherein the decelerator body comprises tworotatably-driven bodies arranged to rotate in complementary directions.14. The decelerator apparatus of claim 13, wherein the tworotatably-driven bodies comprise two adjacent rotating padded wheelsmoving in opposite directions to define a portion of the decelerationpath between them.
 15. The decelerator apparatus of claim 1, wherein thedecelerator body is fully contained in the housing.
 16. The deceleratorapparatus of claim 1, wherein the decelerator body is partiallycontained in the housing.
 17. (canceled)
 18. The decelerator apparatusof claim 9, wherein the decelerator body and the housing define anarcuate deceleration path.
 19. A method for decelerating fruit deliveredfrom a pneumatic delivery tube, comprising: providing a fruitdecelerator at an end of a pneumatic fruit delivery tube with apneumatic connection to the pneumatic fruit-delivery tube at a fruitinlet, and delivering fruit pneumatically from the tube into thedecelerator at the inlet in a fruit delivery direction at a first speed;rotating a padded decelerator body in the decelerator in endless fashionto provide an endless padded decelerator surface moving substantiallytangentially to and in the direction of fruit delivery into thedecelerator at an initial contact point with the fruit delivered intothe decelerator, at a second speed slower than the first speed ofpneumatic fruit delivery from the tube; and, moving and decelerating thefruit with the decelerator body to the second slower speed through apadded fruit deceleration path in the decelerator in a compressive fituntil the fruit has been slowed to the second slower speed of thedecelerator body, and delivering the decelerated fruit to a fruit exitin the decelerator while maintaining a pneumatic seal between the exitand the inlet.
 20. In combination with a pneumatic fruit delivery tube,a fruit decelerator apparatus comprising: a housing comprising a paddedfruit deceleration path, a pneumatic delivery tube inlet connected toreceive fruit from an end of the pneumatic fruit-delivery tube, and afruit exit, the inlet defining a direction of fruit delivery into thehousing; a rotatably-driven decelerator body associated with the housingand comprising a padded surface at least a portion of which is incommunication with an interior of the housing, the padded surfacecomprising a portion of the deceleration path, at least an initialcontact portion of the padded surface positioned in substantiallytangential alignment with the fruit delivery tube inlet at an initialfruit contact portion of the deceleration path adjacent the inlet toreceive fruit entering the deceleration path from the inlet, the paddedendless surface movable relative to the housing in endless rotatingfashion in the direction of fruit delivery, the decelerator body havinga rotational fruit-decelerating speed when rotatably driven relative tothe housing comprising a speed slower than a pneumatically-deliveredspeed of the fruit entering the deceleration path from the delivery tubeinlet; and, at least a portion of the deceleration path comprising acompressive path defined between the housing and the padded endlesssurface of the decelerator body in the housing, the compressive pathsized smaller than an expected smallest size of the fruit delivered fromthe pneumatic delivery tube inlet to carry such received fruit in acompressive moving fit until the fruit has been slowed to thefruit-decelerating speed of the decelerator body, the compressive pathextending through at least a portion of the housing between the inletand the exit; and, a pneumatic fruit-conveying seal in the housinglocated between the inlet and the fruit exit.
 21. The deceleratorapparatus of claim 5, wherein the pneumatic fruit-conveying sealcomprises a drape of material lying substantially against a portion ofthe padded surface of the decelerator body between the fruit inlet andthe fruit exit with a sufficient length to seal around a piece of fruitmoving between the padded surface and the seal.
 22. The deceleratorapparatus of claim 20, wherein the pneumatic fruit-conveying sealcomprises a drape of material associated with the padded surface of thedecelerator body.
 23. The decelerator apparatus of claim 22, wherein thepneumatic fruit-conveying seal comprises a drape of material lyingsubstantially against a portion of the padded surface of the deceleratorbody between the fruit inlet and the fruit exit with a sufficient lengthto seal around a piece of fruit moving between the padded surface andthe seal.